When All Else Fails
by nothingbutspice
Summary: A lot of things can change without warning and sometimes happy endings don't always happen.


Title : When All Else Fails

Author: nothingbutspice

Pairing: none

Summary: The war is over and everyone goes on with their lives except for one Harry Potter

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. I'm just one of the many people who love her books.

* * *

Harry stared blankly on the board his mind wandering aimlessly jumping at the sharp sound of Professor Snape's hand landing smartly on the table.

"....would you care to tell me what is in your mind that you find so interesting that warrants your inattention in my class?"

"I'm sorry Professor...I..."

"I have no interest in your excuses." Snape sneered on the stammering student, "I suggest you pay more attention, seeing that you potions grades are already below average, 15 points from Gryffindor."

Harry said nothing staring at his desk studiously ignoring the mocking laughter from the Slytherins and the feeling of the rush of sudden heat rising to his face. And then he waited, anticipating the soft hot exhalation of breath near his ear to say '_don't worry harry...just ignore the greasy git' _but there was nothing, because the said person who was supposed to comfort him was three tables away looking away from him as if he wasn't even there. He clenched his hands feeling the throb of old magic that was cast on it, now desperately concentrating on the old pain like a lifeline.

_It's okay._.. he whispered to himself..._it's okay, it doesn't matter... it doesn't matter at all_....

He looked up and was startled to realize that everybody was already out of their seats, leaving the class and heading to the doors. He hurriedly arranged his parchments and books clutching them carelessly in his arm. He ignored the other students crowding around him desperately trying to catch up to his best friends.

"Ron!" he called out breathlessly, "Ron, wait!" The redhead continued on ignoring his calls walking hurriedly with the brown haired girl by his side. "Ron... Hermione...!" he said desperately and stopped in the middle corridor looking at his friends who continued to ignore him, walking away.

"That's enough, Mr. Potter."

Startled, he looked back and saw Professor Snape staring at him intently.

"I... I just wanted to..."

"Come with me." he snapped, turning sharply, his robes billowing behind him. Harry stared at the Professor in dismay before following him reluctantly back to the dungeons. Once they were both inside Snape closed the door and secured it with a murmured spell. Harry nervously stared at the Professor as he walked towards the desk and leaned on it with both hands on his sides. After a long silence, Snape sighed and looked at Harry with an indescribable expression on his face.

"Why are you doing this to yourself, Potter?" he said almost wearily. Stunned at the unexpected question, Harry just looked him.

"I don't know what you mean Professor." Harry continued to look at the Professor Snape bewildered.

"Harry," Snape said almost gently looking at the even more surprised face of the lost Gryffindor "Stop this."

"W-what?" Harry's eyes narrowed feeling his confusion fading and anger slowly taking its place "I just wanted to talk them! They're my friends! So what if they're not talking to me right now... I'll just keep on trying. They can't keep on ignoring me forever." his voice steadily rising, "They can't!"

"Potter!" Snape said suddenly his voice snapped out like a wielded whip. Harry was suddenly aware of the chairs and tables shaking inside the room. Harry backed up as Snape suddenly knelt on the stone floor once again staring at him intently, eye to eye.

"What are you doing Professor?" Harry asked surprised and automatically clenched his hands, feeling the old wound throbbing steadily.

"Harry, Ron's not here anymore." he said, "Remember the last battle against Voldemort?"

"_No!"_ Harry shook his head emphatically. "He's not dead! He's not!"

"No, he's not." Snape agreed quietly and continued on almost wryly, "It's been years since that day. You friend Mr. Weasly is definitely still alive."

Harry's eyes widened, "Years? W-what do you mean? I don't understand Professor. If Ron's not dead why can't I talk to him..."

Snape said nothing and just looked at Harry and Harry realized what that strange thing in the Professors expression was. _Remorse... Sadness... Regret...._

"I don't _understand_!" Harry backed up feeling panic rising up in his chest making it hard to say anything else... making it hard to _breathe_...

"Harry... Ron's not dead..." Professor Snape continued on, wishing that he never had to say this again to the lost child reluctantly looking on at other who was shaking his head in frantic denial, "... but you are."

"I...I...I'm not..." Harry whispered softly almost to himself, his hands pressed hard over his ears, he felt his body shaking uncontrollably and the dull throbbing in his hand "I'm not. I'm not. I'm not _dead_!" He screamed...

..........and the world shattered around him.

Professor Snape stared at the space where the child once was and sat down on the unoccupied chair feeling the heavy burden of sadness building in his heart wishing someone else would be the one to do this heartbreaking task but he knew he would stay. If not to make up for the mistakes he had made but for the child who did not deserve this fate.

For the child who was lost.

For him.

For _Harry Potter_.


End file.
